


he is only a boy

by ShyAudacity



Series: Riverdale Prompt Fills [16]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Archie Andrews Needs a Hug, Archie Andrews-centric, Fred centric, Gen, Good Parent Fred Andrews, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Panic Attacks, Paranoia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prompt Fill, Queerplatonic Relationships, Sleep Deprivation, Worried Fred Andrews, Worried Jughead Jones, could be gay if u squint, only mentioned not detailed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 17:22:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12845898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShyAudacity/pseuds/ShyAudacity
Summary: Every time that Archie tries to sleep in his own bed, Fred can hear him from down the hallway, tossing and turning the whole night. At this point, he doesn’t know which one is leaving Archie to be more exhausted, staying up all night or the sudden insomnia.Cautiously, Fred walks over and places his hand on Archie’s shoulder. When Archie doesn’t tense up like Fred expected him to, he gently pushes Archie to his feet, steering him in the direction of the couch. They get almost halfway there before Archie realizes what’s happening.“Wait- Dad, no-.”“No, Arch, you need to sleep.” Fred says firmly, a hand on the center of his chest. “You’re not gonna win this fight, kid; you’re already dead on your feet as it is, c’mon.”ORanon asked: Prompt: Fred and Jughead notice that Archie isn't going and they both confront him. *It's kind of obvious Archie is suffering from some kind of PTSD, So i thought it would be a good little one shot. Sorry, i know you have like 8 prompts I just needed to send this to you.*anon asked: Archie fic. Sleep depripived from staying up all night guarding door. Worried Fred takes care of arch.





	he is only a boy

**Author's Note:**

> Like I said in the tags, the panic is only mentioned, not at all detailed. 
> 
> Unbeta'd and title from Bring Him Home from Les Mis.

Fred Andrews slowly makes his way down the stairs, still feeling a tightness in his side from where his bullet wound was. The first thing he sees is Archie, sitting mostly upright on a wooden crate in the doorway to the kitchen, a glazed over look in his eye. Looking up at the clock above the stove, he realizes that Archie should’ve been at school twenty minutes ago.

Fred sighs. It’s the third time this week that this has happened, he’s surprised that there aren’t any empty energy drinks lying by Archie’s feet. He’s tried to break Archie of this habit of keeping watch in the middle of the night, but he hasn’t gotten very far. Every time that Archie tries to sleep in his own bed, Fred can hear him from down the hallway, tossing and turning the whole night. At this point, he doesn’t know which one is leaving Archie to be more exhausted, staying up all night or the sudden insomnia.

Cautiously, Fred walks over and places his hand on Archie’s shoulder. When Archie doesn’t tense up like Fred expected him to, he gently pushes Archie to his feet, steering him in the direction of the couch. They get almost halfway there before Archie realizes what’s happening.

“Wait- Dad, no-.”

“No, Arch, you need to _sleep_ ,” Fred says firmly, a hand on the center of his chest. “You’re not gonna win this fight, kid; you’re already dead on your feet as it is, c’mon.”

Archie doesn’t fight it as Fred pushes him onto the couch. He curls onto his side, barely noticing as Fred sits on the opposite end of the couch. There’s a little voice in the back of his head, nagging at him, saying that he has to stay awake, but he can’t bring himself to fight it right now. He can feel his eyelids growing heavier every second that he lies on the couch, sinking more and more into the cushions. 

Fred pulls Archie’s legs into his lap, rubbing his calves in the same way that he would when Archie was a kid and couldn’t sleep. He’s out like a light in a matter of minutes, and Fred feels relieved. He gives it a few minutes before he quietly calls the high school, informing the secretary that Archie will be missing school for the next two days. Then, he calls Hermione, tells her he’s going to need another day before coming back to work. It feels a little weird, sitting there and just _watching_ Archie sleep, but Fred can’t bring himself to stop.

An hour and a half later, there’s a knock on the front door. Fred looks over just as Jughead lets himself inside, shutting the door behind him. Fred catches his eye, holds up a finger to his mouth, signaling him to be quiet.

Jughead nods then moves toward the kitchen.  

Carefully, Fred removes Archie’s legs from his lap, following him into the kitchen. He goes straight for the coffee pot.

“You want some coffee, Jug?”

“Sure… you’re not gonna ask why I’m not in school?”

“I was getting to that,” Fred says, handing him a steaming cup. “Do you wanna tell me why you ditched class and came to my house instead?”

Jughead gestures over his shoulder towards the living room.

“He missed the first two periods. Usually when he misses class, even if he’s sick as a dog, he’ll text me to let me know. When I didn’t hear anything from him this morning I-… I don’t know. I guess I just got worried. Sorry, for letting myself in, I just wanted to make sure that he was okay.”

“I understand, Jughead, it’s okay. You’re a good friend.”

Jughead simply nods, gaze fixed on where his knuckles rap against the countertop.

“Somethin’ on your mind, Jug?”

He bites his lip, looking torn.

“So, uh- I promised him I wouldn’t tell you this, but Archie had a panic attack yesterday.”

Fred feels his heart sink.

“Tell me what happened.”

“He started to fall asleep during class. I was gonna wake him, but Mr. Harris got to him before I could, dropped a book on his desk. It startled him awake. Honestly, I would have been more surprised if he hadn’t panicked afterward. It didn’t happen until after class ended but… you know, it was still kind of messy. I’m just glad that I was there to help calm him down. Archie didn’t want to talk about, but I’m guessing that everything that’s happening is bothering him more than he’s letting on. He hasn’t quite been himself lately.”

“Let me guess,” Fred says. “Jumpier than usual? Paranoid? Trouble focusing on the conversation or whatever else he’s doing?”

Jughead nods, and Fred sighs again.

“Yeah, I noticed that, too.”

“What do we do now? I mean, I wanna help but-.”

A groan coming from the other room shuts him up in a second. Both Fred and Jughead look down the hallway to see Archie walking into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

“Hey, kiddo,” Fred says. “We were just talking about you.”

He tries to ignore how Archie tenses up before he notices that Jughead is standing there.

“Jug?” He asks in a tired voice. “What’re you doing here?”

Jughead laughs a little, “Lookin’ for you.”

Archie tenses up again, looking confused and concerned.

Fred waves him over to the table, “Sit down, Arch, c’mon.”

Archie sits across from his dad, keeping both Jughead and the front door in his line of sight. Fred can hear the chair rattling against the ground from where his leg is bouncing out of nerves. He begins to wonder why he didn’t call out his son’s unnatural behavior earlier, wonders how he could have let things get this bad for his son.

“Jughead told me what happened at school yesterday; I know about the panic attack.”

Archie’s jaw tightens, his arms cross over his chest.

“Okay,” He says, looking over his shoulder at the front door. “What about it?”

“Was it the first one?”

Archie looks back at him, blinks harshly.

“Sorry- what?”

“I asked if this was the first panic attack you’ve had since what happened at Pop’s. Last that I checked you hadn’t had one in a while.”

“No, it’s uh-… I’ve had a couple.”

“Why didn’t you say anything, dude?” Jughead interjects.

Archie shrugs, looking over his shoulder again.

“Arch, you know that you can talk to us if something is bothering you. All you have to do is say something.”

Archie does a double take of his dad before looking back at the door.

“What- no, yeah, I know, Dad. Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

Fred catches Jughead’s eye; Jughead shakes his head, a somewhat hurt look on his face. As if to prove him wrong, Vegas barks at something outside and Archie almost flies out of his seat from how badly he’s startled. Jughead steadies him, squeezing Archie’s shoulder.

Fred moves closer to his son, covering Archie’s clenched fist with one of his hands.

“Arch,” He says quietly, waiting until he has his attention. “We can’t help if you don’t talk to us.” 

Jughead speaks up again, “No one is going to be upset with you for asking for help. This is one beatdown that you can’t walk away from unscathed.”

His face falls, defeat spreading across his features. Archie drops his chin to his chest, hiding his face with his free hand. The room grows quiet as Fred and Jughead wait for Archie to give in and just talk to them.  

“I don’t know why I’m like this,” He says shakily. “Every time that someone so much as mentions Pop’s I feel like I’m going to be sick. I’m tired all the time, but I can’t sleep because I’m too afraid that s-something bad will happen and-.”

When the first cry leaves Archie’s throat, Fred is behind him in a second, holding him tighter than he has in months. Archie nestles his face into the crook of Fred’s arm, holding onto his father like his whole life depends on it.

Jughead sits next to the pair, reaches for Archie’s free hand, letting him squeeze as tightly as he needs to.

“I’m sorry.” Archie chokes out while crying. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t- I’m _so sorry_.”

“No, no, don’t apologize, kiddo,” Fred tells him, rocking lightly. “You did so good that day, you know that? You got me to the hospital, you saved me, _you did that_. I’m okay because of you, Archie. I’m okay. It’s okay… we’re gonna be okay, I promise.”

Fred Andrews tells himself right then and there in that moment that he’s going to do a better job of taking care of his son. He’s going to protect his child, going to get him the help that he needs in order to get through this.  

_I’ll keep him safe… even if it’s the last thing that I do._

**Author's Note:**

> I wouldn't mind seeing more content where Archie got the care that he needs honestly. 
> 
> Thanks for reading my fic! You can leave a comment or a kudos, but if you wanna talk to me about Riverdale or leave a prompt you can find me on tumblr as archieandrewsprotectionsquad. Thanks again for reading, I hope you have a great day!


End file.
